Words to Exclude From Your Resume

Your resume is your chance to make a great first impression. Before an employer even meets you in person they have the opportunity to review your professional profile, and by making certain crucial mistakes you could severely inhibit your chances of making that good impression.

Words to Exclude From a Resume

That is why it is so important to avoid making any simple mistakes that could destroy your chances of getting job interviews.
Writing these documents is a complicated and skillful process, all the online content about it is truly a testament to that statement, but the process can be made easier as you learn what you should and shouldn't do.

Certain words and phrases stick out like targets and notify recruiters that you are not really aware of what you are doing.
Provided below is a list of words and phrases that are considered to be big mistakes when they are included in a resume. Try your best to exclude these words to be seriously considered for job positions.

A List of Words to Exclude

You can use the list below showing words to exclude from a resume. Trained professionals have certain expectations when it comes to resume writing, and although doing this may not guarantee you a job position, it may make you a more competitive applicant.

Good
The word “good” is so generic it is overlooked by a hiring manager. You want your writing to stand out from the rest, and using exhausted, boring language is going to put the employer to sleep. You need to wow them with your writing, not make them want to skip over you.

This adjective can describe many things, but it should not be describing your work. Instead, trying using action verbs like “accomplished” or “increased value” to describe not only yourself, but your work and previous experiences.

Motivated
Although it is beneficial to show to your employer that you are driven when it comes to your profession, this is already expected of you. Show how driven you are by listing examples of your accomplishments. Use other descriptions about yourself such as “defined initiative” to relay the message that should you be hired, you would work to the best of your ability and exceed their expectations.

Creative
This word is incredibly overused rendering it ineffective. It is actually not very creative to use the word “creative” because there is surely a more specific and descriptive word that can be used in its place in order to impress the reader.

Effective
This word is extremely typical and expected. You don't want to bore a recruiter with the same old rhetoric. By excluding this word and replacing it with something more descriptive and objective, such as “accomplished” or “reduced error” you are pin pointing solutions to problems and providing concrete answers to questions that may have come up in an employer's mind.

Organized
Here is yet another example about a word that comes in as unimpressive and monotonous. Of course, you should have organizational skills at work, it is all about demonstrating real world examples that will gain attention. Instead of saying that you have the organizational skills to put together a successful project, show examples of how your use of organization allowed you to exceed expectations and get the job done ahead of schedule and under budget.

Problem Solver
This word is irrelevant to a resume, especially depending on your job title. If your job includes solving problems, then it would be silly for you to include that as one of your qualifying traits as that would already be expected of you. Instead, show examples using some new buzzwords like “leverage” and “innovation” to grasp the attention of the reader and potentially make you the more desirable candidate.

Responsible
Finally, the last word that you should avoid fits into all the categories as to what word could be wrong to use on this document. Being responsible is not only what hiring managers expect any applicant to be, they expect them to be “dynamic.” These newer phrases that should be included on your resume are more on point with what recruiters are looking for. Always show examples, they won't be able to discount quantifiable results.

Targeting with keywords is simply a part of the process when you are constructing this document.
In most cases the words to exclude from a resume listed above are best avoided, but now newer more industry specific buzzwords have been gaining attention and are being used instead.
Editing this document and excluding some older more typical wording may help you in the job interview process. Click the button here to write one now.